Yesterday was dot physical time...

Cold, snowy miserable type o day here, so I figgered I'd get a miserable task outta the way. Didn't have the non DOT DOT physical form, with health card, that I needed to fill out, and take to the "Dr" who does the "exam", so I figgered I'd stop by the MVA office, which is kindasorta on the way. Stopped in there, got in the line to get in the line, to get in line, And 15 mins later, sistah comes up to the head of the line and asks how can I hep yo? I told her I wanted the non DOT DOT physical form. WE don't have any, you'll have to go on line and print one yo-sef... Walked out in disgust, and let everybody in earshot know it...

I figgered, maybe the "dr" has one, at his office. I was right, they said they hadem. Filled out the paperwork, signed a half dozen times or so, and initialed several times more, and promptly an hour and a half or so later, I was ushered into the pee room, then signed a coupla more forms, then to the exam room. Nother hour anna half goes by, and in comes "dr" B.O. Majeeb, who sticks the stehtoscope on me, and asks me to breath a coupla times, then push back against his fists, then lifts my legs, and tells me to pull down agin him. He acked me a coupla more unintelligible questions, which I made affirmative grunts to, and he was out de door, innabout 5 minutes flat. Never seen him again, after anudder 15 minute wait, and 2 more signatures, I was out the door. Last year, they only took about 45 minutes...

Today I gets a text saying rate american family care urgentcare's quality of service, from 0 to 10. Wonner what I should rate 'em???

Did you get the paperwork turned back in to the state and approved yet? That is where I got hung up. They had made some new rule within the past couple weeks and the doctor's way of filling it out was no good any more so I had to do the back and forth trip an extra time and wait in line multiple times.

AFAIK, I'm done, just have to have the health card, in the truck, when driving...

Like BV said, here in TN it is now required to get the card on file with the state. They tell you to email it in, and then call to confirm receipt. I gave up on hold after 30 minutes and assumed the email went through. So be glad you didn't get to add that fun to it.

^^ Don't assume anything... A friend of mine went in for a physical a while back and assumed the doc took care of a paperwork 'mistake' the doc caused and just recently got license suspended because the doc did NOT fix their mistake!!!

Here practically everything has to be done in person. You can imagine how that looks in the most populous state. They at least have a semi efficient online reservation system. But the trouble is no way to tell what you need to bring with you, no one to call. So you often wind up 2 trips and the second time it is hit or miss how long you wait in line. At least we have our own DMV in my small town. In the larger cities I understand it is unbearable. There are also some people who will do some paperwork/waiting in line for a fee. I may go that route next time I buy/sell something, I don't know.

Renewing CDL has turned into quite an ordeal. Between fingerprints, 10 question hazmat test, DMV that doesn't know what your asking for when you arrive. Now add in new medical card requirements. I have seen same doctor for thirty years. He isnt signed up to give DOT physical. Have to see APRN. If you have TWIC card fingerprint gets checked twice when you renew. Charge you both times for TWIC and Hazmat.

In Minnesota you have to go to a DOT certified doctor and then the paperwork must be done electronically by the doc. Have not needed one since that went into effect so I'm not sure if the doc still hands out the card?

We don't get cards any more but the DMV still has to process the paperwork done by the doc, and my family doc can't do them any more either, have to go another place.

Did mine on Wednesday. All went well, even read the bottom line on the eye chart! Went directly to the RMV and found out that the DR forgot to fill out the entire form. Couldn't believe it when the registry worker finished filling it out! Renewed my CDL while I was there (4 months early)! I think somethings wrong...

I had trouble this last summer renewing my hazmat all that stuff changed and you do it on a computer now and the forms and Id you have to bring in and I had trouble with passing the medical cause I was 20 lbs overweight and they wanted to do a sleep apnea test on me birken have they tried getting you on neck size or weight yet

DIYDAVE said:

AFAIK, I'm done, just have to have the health card, in the truck, when driving...

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I made that mistake. On my birthday I received notice from VT that my license is revoked. Send certified copy of medical card to______________________Montpelier VT we may, or may not consider reinstating your driver's license. I presumed all those forms were for them to pass along to the State.

Birken Vogt said:

We don't get cards any more but the DMV still has to process the paperwork done by the doc, and my family doc can't do them any more either, have to go another place.

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My regular doctor was angry with the State, I got to hear about it. He is qualified to teach the 1 week long course doctors take for the privilege of performing these exams, but if he isn't willing to take the course, losing a week, he isn't qualified to examine me.

Willie B said:

I made that mistake. On my birthday I received notice from VT that my license is revoked. Send certified copy of medical card to______________________Montpelier VT we may, or may not consider reinstating your driver's license. I presumed all those forms were for them to pass along to the State.

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State laws differ. AFAIK, nothing has changed since last year. And remember this is a non CDL CDL, for driving any truck over 10,000 lbs, in state MD...

DIYDAVE said:

State laws differ. AFAIK, nothing has changed since last year. And remember this is a non CDL CDL, for driving any truck over 10,000 lbs, in state MD...

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My biggest challenge is color. They show me those little books with all the dots. Some have numbers, others have nothing. I wonder if some don't, they are just messing with me. They then pull out a highlighter, a red book, and a green pencil case. Those, I can tell. Besides, traffic signals are in specific positions.

Jakebreak said:

I had trouble this last summer renewing my hazmat all that stuff changed and you do it on a computer now and the forms and Id you have to bring in and I had trouble with passing the medical cause I was 20 lbs overweight and they wanted to do a sleep apnea test on me birken have they tried getting you on neck size or weight yet

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It's been a while, so I don't remember, but I am not really overweight and my blood pressure, etc is good, so I don't usually have any trouble with the test.

But it makes me wonder, how some guys are so grossly overweight and unhealthy how they get by, and then they hassle someone such as you that might be just a little out of spec.

The one that gets me is that you can have one eye out, a pacemaker, and a built in defibulater and you can still get a School Bus certificate in Minnesota. They allow you to haul 70 kids but you can't drive a truck legally.

I do not enjoy the Hazwhopper test end of it nor the extra expense for that AND the FBI checks where the DOT physical is pretty much a waste of energy but has to be done. Med staff I use has a specific department for DOT side, they do the pee test the physical and fill out the forms, I just have to haul the completed form to my DMV for filing with the state.
Ten years ago was not a problem as to my left eye, now they are pressing at least 20/40 corrected for a either eye where I barely make it, gets any worse and I cannot renew. Corrected I get 20/60 at the eye doc, can still make the 20/40 at the DOT inspection.

The DOT med thing has been screwed up almost from the start. I make sure I get 2 certified copies of everything, and I send in both email and certified mail copies to the state. Both get confirmation, I keep copies in my truck, and I've needed it a couple times - no record of my DOT certificate at the scales or portable stop, and I had a current card in hand. Was notified of a downgrade once, and it'd been 2 months since I got the confirmations I had on file - still had to go to bat convincing them they did, in fact, have my current paperwork. I've no idea why, when they came up with this regulation, they didn't also directly attach current certification to your CDL license number. Another example of putting the cart before the horse when it comes to gov't agencies enacting rules without thinking about the practical implementation. Darn frustrating to be cutting an hour out of my day waiting on DOT guys fiddling around with the state site employees trying to figure out what's what.